UNION S.S. COMPANY.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 35, 5 November 1907, Page 5

UNION S.S. COMPANY.

SIR J. MILLS INTERVIEWED,

NEW STEAMERS. .. . [Ot TELEGEAra.—PBES3 AESOCIATIOK.] ' . 'Dunedin, November .4., Sir .las. and Lady Mills returned to the Dominion to-day by the Union Steam Ship Company's new steamer Marania. On..arrival at Port Chiilmcrs Sir Jamos was. presented with an address of welcome, on behalf of tho citizens. _■■ ■;■;.- ■•. •; ■• In the course of an interview, Sir James Mills said that at present ho could not say anything definite about the Vancouver sor-. vico, Tho renewal of: tho company's 'con* tract had been secured for two years on ditiou that they replaced the Miowera with a now steamer., , a This wa.s being.,doiiO| a ship about 1000 tons, larger'than the *IJQ» wera being built on the Clydo. A mov&:, mont was on foot to establish.•« .faster, service to take the place-of the .present one. Proposals were now being laid,before a com-, mittco appointed by : the Imperial dovcrn- : ment. ■• ■ •■-■' •■ ■■- : ' , :'• .i; Sir Jas. Mills outlined tho company's immediate programme. Additional ■ steamers" were being built, to me'etlTtlidi'dStonsufli .'.'of. local trade, and to replace older steamers, Thoro was a 7000-ton sisteen-knot steamer for the Vancouver service;; a •■' 4000-ton thirteen-knot steamer ' for thol'lsjand trade of the same type as the Atua, but.larger.. 'A largo cargo steamer was beipg built at-Eort Glasgow of the samo typo" as the"-.Wnijibra, dead weight 8500 tons, Eea speed "elevoii knots; also a cargo steamer of the turret type, tho first of its class over -tried by' tho Union Company; : was being built at Sunder.land. This was a ; very;'popular'- typo with Eomo owners at Homo. It was claimed that in dead woight capacity on a given tonnago they oflored adviin|age's s 'not'' possessed ■ tiy other stoamers.,' 'Th'is-was in,.the nature .of M an experiment by.tho'..cpinpaiiy. -~. ... ~...,'.,, Sir James oxpressed himself as well fied with the Marama's -trip.-. The... yoyafcp from Plymouth-.to OtagO' Heads 'Occupied 36 days, an average of-16 knots. Tlie time from Williamstown (Melbourne) to Otago Heads was 82 hours, average speed of 16}. knots. Although; this, was a' , Record. -trip. , she was called upon at no time to exert her full power£ as coal consumption was a consideration...;. ....